STUDENT numbers have doubled at HEAL Paradise Village this year thanks to a scholarship for underprivileged children announced by long-time partners The Hans Foundation.

Under the programme, children between the age of five to 16 years, who are either orphaned or raised by a single parent without any support, are eligible for scholarship; children from vulnerable families, subject to abuse or serious neglect, are also eligible.

The programme, aimed at helping some of the most disadvantaged children in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka states, is designed for young people to recieve access to quality education, healthcare and residential facility for the next three years at HEAL Paradise Village.

Announcing The Hans Foundation’s second scholarship for 200 underprivileged children at HEAL Paradise, Lt Gen. S M Mehta, CEO, The Hans Foundation, said: “Our constant endeavour is to reach out to economically weaker children who would play a vital part in the upliftment of society.

“The scholarship programme will enable young children to take the first step towards a strong foundation for a bright future so that they can ultimately achieve positive economic outcomes for themselves, their families and communities.”

To help facilitate the scholarship scheme, Hans officers Miss Jagrity Sharan, programme manager, and her deputy Miss Shabina Bano, visited Paradise school at the end of May to take part in the admissions process.

They set the scheme in motion by interviewing single parents and guardians of vulnerable children and granted admission to 40 new students under the terms of the scholarship scheme.

“In addition to taking an active part in the admissions and interviewing process, our visitors also gave valuable suggestions about maintaining complete digital profiles of each child who applied for admission,” said Paradise CEO K.Ajay Kumar.

“Our students entertained them with cultural programmes and our Hans visitors enjoyed interacting with children and staff.”

The Hans Foundation have given invaluable support to HEAL and the evidence is there for all to see at Paradise Village in the shape of the magnificent dorm facilities provided for residential children.

The Hans Foundation boys’ dormitory and dining hall was the first to be completed last year and now the girls have moved into the Rajeswari Girls Dorm following a an official opening ceremony last month.

Representing HEAL’s principal partners was Dr GV Rao, executive director of The Hans Foundation, who took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by HEAL India president Ram Yadav and fellow members of the board.

Visit the HEAL Facebook page to see a new gallery of photographs from The Hans Foundation’s recent visits to Paradise Village.

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